Last month I traveled on the National Highway 1 or simply NH 1 in India from
Delhi to Amritsar which was part of the Grand Trunk Road from Dhaka in Bangladesh to Lahore in Pakistan rejuvenated by Sher Shah Suri in around 1540 and originally built by Ashok the Great who lived in the 3 rd century BCE.
Kos Minar towers were built as markers of distance along the Grand Trunk road and only 110 of the original thousands are in existence surviving the elements from the medieval period. 1 Kos is a little over 3 kilometers or a little less than 2 miles. Kos Minar towers served the dual purpose of measuring distances and guiding travelers.
Previously I had visited several 5 types of towers in Delhi:
2.
Chor Minar - For terrifying the anti-social elements.
There are 4 Kos Minar towers of which 3 are on the outskirts of Delhi not very far from the
Tughlakabad Fort and one is right in the heart of Old Delhi in the zoo adjacent to the Purana Qila Old Fort. Since the Zoo is still closed, yesterday I visited the 3 Kos Minar towers:
This is right outside the Jasola metro station on the Volet line and is nicely maintained in the middle of a huge traffic circle. The circle has lawns and also huge Nilgiri trees making it a shady place to sit and enjoy in the presence of this medieval monument.
KM_00.jpgI could easily walk into the traffic circle and touch and feel the monument from 500 years ago and was amazed to see that the plaster was still intact even after several centuries.
This Kos Minar tower is about 20 kilometers from the one discussed above and is well preserved with fencing within a community park. The gate was locked when I visited there yesterday but I could view it from very close. This Kos Minar also was in excellent condition.
Residents nearby narrated the story of how the government allotted them plots near the monument but later posed many problems to actually build the houses. In India, the law prohibits any modern construction within one kilometer of a monument that is declared a national heritage and 5 km for world heritage sites.
This Kos Minar is located 5 km farther from the previous one inside a dedicated community park built around it and aptly called the Kos Minar Park. Beside Children playing equipment, there is also a jogging track in this park around lush green lawns with several benches along the track.
In the center of the lawn is the majestic Kos Minar tower standing in all its glory from the days of Sher Shah Suri. The other creations of Sher Shah include free lodges called Sarai or Dharamshala for travelers, irrigation canals, water reservoirs, embankments, and colleges. This is in stark contrast with the great Mughals who indulged in plunder or entertainment and wasted most of the time in family feuds for the succession of the throne.
Design of the Kos Minar towers
In all 3 cases, I noted that:
1. The lower half of the tower was octagonal.
2. The upper portion was conical.
3. A hemispherical cap at the top.
4. A ring where the conical portion connected to the hemisphere.
5. Also the there were several openings or cavities in the walls on each side of the octagonal portion that was used to place fire torches in the medieval period for signaling the presence of the tower during the night.
Overall it was a very satisfying trip of about 90 kilometers from my home in Gurugram and on the return journey, I also visited
the enigmatic Nai ka Kot Fort.
Accessibility Features
Accessibility features for differently-abled are available since the Kos Minar Towers are all located inside parks or are easily visible from the streetside.
Here's a snapshot:
♿ ✔️ Ramp Access.
♿ ✔️ A wheelchair-accessible Entrance.
♿ ✔️ A wheelchair-accessible Parking.
♿ ✔️ A wheelchair-accessible Restroom/Toilet.
Accessibility features of more forts and historical monuments in Delhi are highlighted in this
meetup recap.
2022
